Your vehicle report
1990 Jeep Wrangler
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 79
- Received Jan 1995 to Mar 2018
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Seat belt fails to latch or retract14 complaints · 18% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Parking brake fails to hold or release9 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline7 complaints · 8.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #02V041000On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with manual transmissions, the parking brake can self-release without warning.
- Recall #98V005000Vehicle description: passenger and multi-purpose vehicles originally sold or currently registered in the states of connecticut, illinois, indiana, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, or wisconsin, and the district of columbia. The front disc brake rotors can experience severe corrosion if operated for an extensive period in the "salt belt." if the rotors are not replaced, the corrosion can eventually compromise the structural integrity of the stamped steel center hub section of the rotor.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 6 crashes, 5 fires, 3 people injured, 1 death.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 7 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 22 |
| 1996 | 8 |
| 1997 | 7 |
| 1998 | 2 |
| 1999 | 5 |
| 2000 | 5 |
| 2001 | 3 |
| 2002 | 12 |
| 2003 | 5 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 2 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 79 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 14 | 18% | – | |
| Parking brake fails to hold or release | 9 | 11% | – | NHTSA recall #02V041000 |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 7 | 8.9% | – | NHTSA recall #94V106000 |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 5 | 6.3% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 4 | 5.1% | – | |
| Brake booster fails, leaving stiff pedal | 4 | 5.1% | – | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 3 | 3.8% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #02V041000February 7, 2002316,148 vehicles affected
parking brake: conventional
On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with manual transmissions, the parking brake Can self-release without warning.
This could allow the vehicle to roll away, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will install a parking brake assembly with a stronger pawl return spring. Owner notificaton began september 30, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA recall #98V005000January 12, 1998293,369 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: rotor
Vehicle description: passenger and multi-purpose vehicles originally sold or currently registered in the states of connecticut, illinois, indiana, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, or wisconsin, and the district of columbia. The front disc brake rotors Can experience severe corrosion if operated for an extensive period in the "salt belt." if the rotors are not replaced, the corrosion Can eventually compromise the structural integrity of the stamped steel center hub section of the rotor.
The reduced strength Can allow the cast iron wear surface to separate from the hub, reducing the brake effectiveness of the vehicle.
Remedy
Dealers will replace these rotors with rotors that are coated with a corrosion protection.
NHTSA recall #94V106000June 9, 1994230,000 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
Vehicle description: multipurpose passenger vehicles equipped with plastic fuel tanks. The fuel tank sending unit gasket Can crack causing fuel and fuel vapor leaks.
Fuel and fuel vapor leaked from the fuel tank Can result in fire when exposed to a source of ignition.
Remedy
Replace the fuel tank sending unit gasket.
NHTSA recall #92V148000October 14, 1992280,000 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
On 1987 through early 1990 models, both front brake hoses Can wear due to direct contact with the wheel opening splash shields. On the late 1990 through 1992 models, periodic rubbing contact of the left front brake hose Can occur due to movement of the splash shield in certain vehicle operating conditions.
Either condition Can cause loss of front brake systemfunctions, resulting in increased stopping distances and an increased risk ofvehicle accident.
Remedy
The 1987 to 1990 model vehicles will have both splash shields replaced and both front brake hoses replaced as necessary. All affected late 1990 through 1992 model year vehicles will have additional fasteners installed to further secure the left side splash shield. Also, the left front brake hose will be inspected and replaced as necessary.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1990 Jeep Wrangler.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN